WE ALL FALL DOWN!
by Phantomgrlofopera
Summary: After leaving the War of Scars, Lara Crepsley - Larten Crepsley's daughter - has had anything but a normal human life. OC / Gannen and Vancha / Alice. R&R please & thanks!
1. INTRO

**WE ALL FALL DOWN_!_ **

**SEQUEL TO INTRUDING THOUGHTS**

**A CIRQUE DU FREAK TALE**

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This is the sequel to Intruding Thoughts, those who have not read the story, please do! You'll be very confused! This is just an introduction to the story, so don't worry, more's coming! The story will be in first person; Lara's, but will switch on and off to other characters occasionally.

Enjoy!

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Freedom is dead.

Along with over a third of the world's population. Nations have crumbled, unions have split, and governments have faded into oblivion. No one is safe from the tyranny that has taken so many lives. The world sits shrouded in darkness, vulnerable and desecrate. An ongoing war has plagued the earth like a disease, and shows no signs of ceasing. The war, started by the hands of a tyrannical monster and his swayed army, started a few years ago, after the death of the last queen of England.

Her death was the beginning of the end.

Hours after she passed, her son – heir to the throne of England and her territories – became the king of England. All seemed well at first, he was a fine looking young man who had been raised under the wing of a wonderful leader; his mother, and seemed to know what was right for his country. If only that were true. William St. John took the throne of England with only one thing in mind; complete control. And he gained it with ease. In the matter of a year's time, St. John had the country in the palm of his hand. Laws were created to prevent treason against him, and anything that he did not agree with, was put to ruin. Books that revealed too much, movies that showed too much, and people that said too much were all destroyed. Curfews were created, and anyone who went against them were taken by the secret police and never seen or heard from again. Television shows were tapped, along with radio shows; so that nothing too revealing could be said or seen. Any act of treason was met with severe punishment, most resulting in death. Life for the people of England became one giant lie, they had been promised happy lives, but received the hand of tyranny instead.

Other countries began to notice this act of tyranny right off the bat, and quickly tried to keep the King from total communism. On the eve of St. John's coronation, a meeting was held between several concerned nations. They feared for their own countries being affected or even inspired by St. John. They wanted to help the people of Great Britain, to save them from the acts of cruelty that were being placed upon them. They began to set plans to remove the King from his throne. Word of this was leaked by spies who attended the meeting, and soon the King received the news. Furious of the foreign nations' wish to remove him, St. John took action without hesitation, or his country's consent. In a matter of hours, war was declared.

Since then, the earth has been turned into a massive wasteland, were fear and corruption rule over all. The nations that once tried to save Great Britain have all crumbled from civil wars, the war started by St. John that quickly became World War III, and the nuclear bombs that were tossed from country to country like hot potatoes. Survivors are scattered in small clumps hidden in the nations, trying to live their lives among the death that constantly surrounds them. The war has ended, but only because no country remains strong enough to last against St. John and his army. The people of Great Britain still live under the control of the King, but are the most well off of anyone else in the world. That is how St. John remains in control, he continues to promise his people that they – unlike the rest of the world – would be able to live on happily and safe. And unfortunately, that is true; they have remained safe from the nuclear bombs, the civil wars, and the terrorism that has affected every other nation.

Rebellion is scare in these times where everyone is afraid to take a step out of place. No one wants to end up like those elsewhere, no one wants to die. The world is too harsh to be abandoned in. Although life is under terrible restriction, its life, and one most people can deal with. The fates of others keep the English from rebelling, but in their hearts, the want for a new life, a better life, is calling. And yet few will answer to it. Few will go against the government that has destroyed the world, and keeps them scared and locked up in their homes.

I am one of those few.

For years now, I and the few brave ones in the country have been rebelling, plotting, and fighting against a government that is no longer our own. We refuse to surrender our freedoms to a man who only wants to crush us. Thankfully, we have yet to be found, for I know when we are, there will be no mercy given to us. The King and his men haven't discovered us by now for one sole reason. The few that refuse to surrender to him any longer, most of them are a part of his inner circle. The secretary of defense, several generals, and many Politian's that have the King's trust. In secret, we help those who wish to go against the king, and those who have been punished by him as well. On many occasions I have led rescue missions to the concentration camps were hundreds lie to wait for death and are tortured on a daily basis. Those we have been able to take from the camps live on my estate, in cabins we have built for guests. Although, I am running out of room on the estate, and the numbers of people in the concentration camps are growing with fast pace.

So I continue to fight, though the darkness continues to cover over all. Sometimes I wonder if it will ever end, if I will ever find peace. In my heart I have hope, but I can feel it slowly dying. I feel myself slipping into the darkness like the rest of the human race. But my fellow rebels keep that hope alive, they won't stop their fight, and neither will I. I don't care if it takes the rest of my life, or if I die in the process. As long as I leave hope, even a hint of it, then I will be happy. I just can't sit back and watch people die at the hands of a monster, when I can have even the slightest impact to change it. The rebels and I are coming closer to salvation, closer to freedom.

But I fear that in the end, we'll all fall down.


	2. THE LETTER

**WE ALL FALL DOWN_!_ **

**SEQUEL T****O INTRUDING THOUGHTS**

**A CIRQUE DU FREAK TALE**

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**

_Gannen,_

_I pray the human war hasn't affected you and your kind. I often think of you, and wonder if you are having as much trouble with your war as much as I am with mine. Funny to think; only a few years ago I was a little girl fighting the War of Scars alongside your brother. Now I'm fighting against the tyranny of my King. I tried to be obedient to him, and for a while there, I was. But as I saw him turn into a power hungry maniac, I couldn't stand aside and watch him destroy the country. Now I lead a group of Politian's, soldiers, and any civilian who has the desire and courage to fight back. We're growing stronger by the day; people who are extremely close to the King are now on our side. It's a sneaky plot I must say, and a part of me doesn't want it to be so sly. But how else can we defeat him? He has the whole country under his sway, and we are so little in numbers. Right now we are developing an assassination plot, Lord give me strength to go through with it. I find it difficult to stab and man when he's not looking, but the King…he's so twisted and destructive. He'll ruin the country if he keeps up with what he's doing. Have you heard of him? He's awful! Making laws so that the people can no longer help govern themselves, and making life so hard to be a free willed human being anymore. There are curfews at night, and if you're out too late, you'll be bagged up and never seen or heard from again. Thousands of people have been bagged by the King's secret police, for the pettiest reasons. Like speaking their minds! The day I am taken away to be tortured and killed for saying what I feel, Lord have mercy on the King, for I will strike him with all I've got._

_I've grown so much since you last saw me, I'm not that naïve little child you knew anymore, Evanna says I'm a woman now. And yet, sometimes I still think she's in there somewhere. After the war I went to school and got a degree in political science, someday I hope to be a Politian. But for now, being a rebel leader is just fine for me. I have my own home now, a beautiful castle that Desmond made for me that sits upon a hill overlooking a terrific forestland. Whenever I look out from my bedroom window and see the trees, I think of the time we first met, in the forests surrounding the Cirque du Freak. Do you remember? I hope you are well, and I pray every night for peace between your kind and the vampires. It pains me to think that you are still at war with each other. I just want at least one people of this earth to be at peace. It certainly isn't my kind; over a third of the human race is dead, all because of my king and his lust for control. It disgusts me that I am even affiliated with him. That is why I must fight against him and his twisted reign. I do this to save the last bit of the human race that is left. _

_I'm sorry this is the first letter I have ever sent to you since we parted; I've been so tangled with this life that I've hardly had time for myself. This is the first time really that I've been able to rest; it feels like I've gone years without it. It's ironic really, I left the War of Scars to be rid of the war and death and destruction, and here I am surrounded by it even more than ever before. But like all the other wars, this one will pass, I know it. Let's just hope it's soon. I shall give this letter to Evanna; she visits me every now and then just as Desmond does, to give to you. I miss you, you know…and no matter how hard I try, I simply can't get you out of my mind. But there I go, that silly little girl is talking again. _

_I hope to hear from you soon,_

_Always,_

_Lara._

Handing the letter to Evanna, I sighed with relief; relief that I had finally written down what I had wanted to for years. I had kept myself from going to him, finding him and telling him how much I missed him. My pride wouldn't let me do it, I had left him to be rid of the war, and he knew that. I had always thought that if I went to him, I would be thrust back into the world I was running away from. But now, now that I had my own war, I needed him more than ever. I need to see him, to tell him that I was scared and alone. I didn't have any family left, and I often found myself faced with issues that my young mind wasn't ready to handle. I needed his advice, his guidance, I needed him.

"**I'll get this to him in the next few days, dear."** Evanna said with a pat on my back. There was a strange gleam in her eyes, as if she knew what I was going through and how I felt. It was nice to know that someone understood me; Evanna was one who always did. She often visited me throughout the years away from the War of Scars, to give me word from Vancha and Harkat, whom I both missed so much. I often received a worried letter from Vancha, who wondered how I was doing on my own. I was so thankful that he didn't hate me for leaving the war, so thankful he understood why I had to. He – like Darren had been – had become my closest friend, and even a brother to me.

"**Thank you, Evanna,"** I replied, hugging her. It was refreshing to have her come to my estate every now and then; she too has become one of my closest friends. She always brings me fine gifts, as if she were my mother whom I hadn't seen in a while. In a way, she had become my mother; she came to me whenever I needed a friend, reading my thoughts and knowing just what to say. I was so thankful for her to come into my life, even after I had left hers and everyone else's in the war. **"You'll be back soon, promise?" **I asked her with a childish grin, plopping myself down onto the large cushioned chair in front of the fireplace. The warmth from the flames was soothing on such a bitter night. Winter in the country was beautiful, but cold beyond belief. And the snow! It must have snowed at least twice a week since the beginning of winter. But I don't mind really, I love waking up to the virgin snow covering the trees and the hillside.

"**Of course I will, and maybe…"** Evanna replied as she stepped towards the fireplace. The pause made me glance up at her, and curious smile stretched on my face. **"I'll bring a guest."**

Jumping up from my chair, I placed my hands on Evanna's shoulders, excitement written all over my face. **"You will? Who?!"**

Laughing and patting my back Evanna shook her head, beginning to head towards the main hall. I walked alongside of her, waiting for an answer, hoping it was who I thought it was. As we reached the large cherry wooden doors that lead out to the countryside, Evanna smiled and gave one last hug. **"It's a maybe…and it's a surprise. I'll be seeing you soon, expect me in the next week or two."**

Sighing, I nodded, disappointed that she wouldn't tell me who she was going to bring. **"Alright,"** I groaned, hugging her back. Opening the door for her, I looked out into the starry night sky. God the view was gorgeous on nights like these. I was lucky to have lived in such a beautiful place. **"Be safe now, I'll see you soon. Oh and tell Desmond I say hello. I know he won't care, but…well just tell him. And if you see any of the others, tell them I say hello too."**

Grinning, Evanna nodded and headed out the door, walking away into the night. As I shut the door, a sting of excitement hit me like a brick. Gannen would soon get my letter, and hopefully write me back as soon as he could. Just the thought of him reading the letter made me giddy like a damn school girl. Laughing to myself, I ran up the grand stairs and into my room, jumping onto my bed with a happy sigh. Perhaps that little girl really hadn't left me yet. Or maybe Gannen brought it out in me. I would never really understand. As I lay on my white canopy bed in my white themed roomed, the thought suddenly hit me. What if Gannen didn't even care anymore? What if he thought I was just a silly little girl that should be minding her own business? Or what if he was angry with me for leaving him? All the horrible thoughts wreaked my brain until I was on the verge of screaming. I shouldn't have thought like that, it only made the waiting for a response from him even worse. I couldn't think about it without wanting to go and find him. But I had a life to live, duties to do, and people to protect.

Love could wait.


	3. THE OPERA

_Okay so I will be changing the pov often, sorry if it confuses anyone, but for certain chapters, I feel it flows better to do it a bit differently. If people get too confused, just let me know with a review, and I'll change it! Oh, and the young woman is Lara, if you really can't figure that out lol. Enjoy! _

_P.S. Thank you Symphony of Terror for the great review! Don't worry, I will be updated quite often! _

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_And thinking of her_  
_Sweet sleep overcame me_

I am your master  
See your heart  
And of this burning heart  
Your heart  
She is trembling  
Obediently eats.  
Weeping, I saw him then depart from me.

Joy is converted  
To bitterest tears

I am in peace  
My heart  
I am in peace  
See my heart

The soft melody rose from the stage; a wave of sweet song swooping over the audience, captivating everyone in their seat. All stared upon the man and woman dressed in white clothe, singing of their love for each other as the orchestra played in tune to their harmony. The light from the candles that adored the hall gave the couple an angelic glow, illuminating them from head to toe. The raw emotion that came from them was mesmerizing to watch, all eyes could not look away. The love they had for each other was so apparent, and not even through their song. From their eyes, the audience could see a sweet compassion rising from the depths of their hearts. It was astounding to watch two opera singers show such emotion through their body and song, as if they really were lovers. The song came to an end with the couple embracing each other as the candles on the stage were blown out, leaving their silhouettes in shadow. The audience stood and applauded, smiles stretched upon everyone's face. Shouts for an encore rose from the crowd as the couple left the stage, bowing and waving to their beloved fans.

"**St. John planned it all along," **Jonathan Darwin whispered over to the young lady clad in a white, form fitting, silk gown as they stood clapping. **"You remember the incident at William's Hospital a few years back?"** he asked her, as the crowd continued to clap and yell for more. The lady nodded; her gaze still on the stage with a casual glance upon her face. But there was worry hidden in the depths of her eyes, a darkness that had been there for many years. **"His men created the virus and put it into some of the patients. When it began to spread, the hospital was supposedly quarantined off, but the virus leaked out. And when it did, the government created an antidote. St. John blamed it on terrorists, remember? But he knew what the hell he was doing; he created that virus just to make the country more united under him. To fear what wasn't there."**

The crowd began to leave their seats, separating and going on their own ways. The young lady and her friend put on their coats in silence, the horror of the truth settling in. In her heart, the woman knew it was true; she wasn't surprised by the king's twisted actions. It was just another notch on the totem pole. As they left the opera house, the lady sighed, not wanting to imagine what else the king was up to and what the future held for her and her countrymen. **"Call a meeting for next week. We have to put an end to this. Too many people are dying for his petty reasons." **She said to her friend. Darwin patted her back and gave her a fatherly smile; he had become a father figure to her in the past few years, something she had needed for a long time. **"Thanks for the show, it was beautiful." **She whispered, her eyes dark and haunted, a weariness behind them that was plain as day.

"**You're too young for this burden." **Darwin said to her, embracing her tightly. He always worried about the girl, who seemed far too young to even be thinking about the war that was raging around her. He always pictured her as a girl who should have been carefree, and love with a strapping young man. But she was wise well beyond her years, and had a power that he saw in few people. She was a born rebel, and he knew it. **"I'll let you know as soon as I've gotten them all together. You get some rest, alright? We can't have an exhausted leader trying to save the world, now can we?"** He laughed, turning from her and leaving for home. The young woman laughed quietly, and turned on her way as well, heading over to her black car and hopping in. As she shut and locked the door, she abruptly pounded on the steering wheel, screaming in anger. All of the frustration from the king had built up within her, and it was beginning to be too much. Salty tears flowed down her cheeks as she wept, clutching the steering wheel with all her might. She wasn't a girl who liked to vent to others, so it was all of her possessions that got the beating.

Shoving her key in the ignition, the little woman started up her car and pulled out of the lot; driving off into the dark night, her thoughts filled with the images she had seen of William's Hospital. She remembered when it happened, and seeing the news reports that showed too little, or even too much. On the teley, she would see buildings quarantined off and photos of dead children being thrown into pits to be buried. The thought of the disaster at William's Hospital made her sick. When she saw the pictures, the woman knew then that something about the entire event was wrong – aside from tons of people dying, of course. At the time, she had been in college, and the horrors that were taking place around her had yet to affect her. Thankfully, her immune system was stronger than a normal human's, and she didn't catch the virus that the King had created.

The drive back to her town didn't take long, thankfully she lived close enough to the city that driving there wasn't a burden, but far enough from it that she didn't get the city's pollution or problems. She had a good life away from the city, not many people lived in the town, so there wasn't the busy atmosphere that huddled in London. The town was small enough so that everyone knew each other, making the place incredibly humble. Her estate, perched upon a hill overlooking the tiny town was safe from tourists, for very few people knew about the town, tucked deep into the forest. It was a place where the wealthy went to get away from the city, and the poor stayed to make a living off their wealthy counterparts. Pulling into her tree guarded driveway, the red headed girl noticed another car pulled up in front of her home. It wasn't a car she was familiar with, and frankly; she just wasn't in the mood for a visitor. The news she had received from her friend had put a damper on her night, even though she thoroughly enjoyed the opera. Pulling up beside the unfamiliar vehicle, the lady got out just as her butler opened the large wooden front doors.

"**Who's here?" **she asked her close friend and worker; Thomas Jennings, tossing him the keys to her car.

"**An old friend, apparently." **Tom replied, his Scottish accent thick and comforting. He had been a friend to his lady ever since they met in college. He was, at the time, working in administrations of her school, and she went to him often to talk about her classes and get help with money. They became friends quickly, and soon after the young lady graduated, Tom retired from his job at the university and looked for a job out in the country. Low and behold, the young lady was in need of workers to help her run her estate, and Tom quickly snatched the job, glad to be close to a dear friend. Plus, he got a house as part of the job; a quaint little home right on the estate, only a few acres away from the mansion. Tom was one of the only people his lady trusted, especially at such a time they were living in. **"She asked me to keep her identity secret." **He laughed, following behind the little woman as she headed up the stone steps to her door. Raising an eyebrow, the woman continued to head up the stairs toward the door. She couldn't think of any woman who would possibly visit her on such terms, unless it was Evanna with a surprise.

That thought made the little woman grin and move faster up the steps, swinging open the door to find a figure standing in before the fire in the den. From where she stood, the young lady couldn't see anything familiar about the person; she could only see that it was a woman. Heading into the den, the lady of the house saw that her guest seemed young, around the same age as the lady herself. Stopping a few feet behind her guest, the lady's eyes grew wide as she noticed her guest's hair. It was pure white.

"**Alice?!"**


	4. THE ATTACK

_Okay folks, so this is going to be in third person omniscient, sorry if it confuses you! I tried my best to make it as simple to read as possible, so you shouldn't have any problems. These chapters are getting more and more romantic, so if you're not one for some lovin', read another story! And please, if you haven't read Intruding Thoughts yet, do so! I assure you that if you have not gotten confused yet, you definitely will soon! And thank you for the review ! I really love getting them!_

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The campfire crackled in the depths of the night, a soft hiss rising from the burning logs. Tiny embers drifted away toward the stars as a cloud drifted away from the moon. A full moon, shining bright and casting a blue glow unto the earth below. No one spoke, no one moved; all eyes were cast upon their leader. He sat as still as the rest, eyes on the letter in his hands, not saying a word. His red eyes scanned the letter for a few minutes, a rare mixture of emotions beginning to come across his face. He wasn't a man to show how he felt very often, let alone tell anyone, so the mere fact that he was showing a strange emotion on his face was startling to his men. They didn't know whether he was ill or surprised, and had no idea what to say to him.

As he finished reading, a sigh escaped from his lips; a mixture of relief and mourning. He glanced up from the paper, meeting the curious glances of his men. He smiled softy, and nodded, signaling that everything was okay. They took the hint, and went back to their chatter, a song of voices ringing into the dark night. Gannen Harst stood from his seat, making his way over to the other side of the fire where an old friend sat waiting for him. She smirked, looking him straight in the eye and seeing the emotions he was hiding from everyone. She knew what he was feeling, just by looking into the red pits of his eyes. **"I'm glad you liked the letter, Gannen." **Lady Evanna said through her all knowing grin. She saw the fire burning in his eyes; it was burning bright for that little woman that they had all come to love and trust so much. Even the vampaneze loved Lara Crepsley; she was one of the sole reasons they were still around. It was she who helped Evanna sway the vampires from completely wiping them out. It was she who sent letters to both sides to help them make peace with each other. It was she who gave them a reason to make peace at all.

Even when her world was crumbling down, Lara strove to not only fix it, but fix things between the vampires and the vampaneze. Her courage, her heart, and her wisdom were all reason enough to cherish the little lady. And it was reason enough for Gannen. When he first met her, Gannen saw the passion in her eyes; that tiny flicker of light that would eventually burst to flames before his eyes. He watched her grow, and took heart at the beauty she exuded, inside and out. He had never met anyone like her before.

Gannen sat down beside the lady, who watched every motion in his face. Unlike most, Evanna could read Gannen, just as much as she could read Lara. And the more she studied them, the more Evanna saw the same emotions flickering in their eyes. She had seen it earlier in the war, and she could see it even more now. In her dreams, Evanna saw Gannen and Lara; hand in hand, speaking to each other lovingly, occasionally laughing with one another. Evanna's dreams always meant something before – most of the time, they were actual visions – so she knew that something would come of her dreams soon. Whether what she dreamed was an actual vision or just a hopeful idea, Evanna was not sure.

Gannen said nothing, he simply stared at the ground, the letter in his hands. His thumbs softly caressed the letter, as the vampaneze thought of the woman who had sent it to him. Beside him, Evanna sighed, knowing that Gannen was at a loss for words, and had no idea how to tell Lara how he felt. But Evanna was hopeful; the vampaneze had gone from a sullen, silent killer to a strong willed, open minded leader in the past few years. She had watched him grow, even though she thought that he would remain sullen and silent forever. Perhaps it was the death of Steve, the Lord of the Vampaneze who ruled over Gannen mercilessly. Or perhaps it was Lara, who had deeply touched all she met. It was odd how a simple girl could do so much for those she loved. But then again, as Desmond had revealed, Lara was anything but simple.

"**Will you write her?"** Evanna asked Gannen, who's eyes were still at the ground. The slender man sighed, causing a lock of his deep amber hair to fall in front of his face. Of course he would write to her, but the vampaneze had no idea how to express himself. He could fight wars, save lives, and lead his men, but he could not open himself up to a woman. He never allowed himself to do so before, mainly because he was too afraid to. Gannen was not like his brother, who could woo a woman and treat her the way she wanted. Gannen on the other hand, had never even tried. He had the potential to woo a lady, he knew he did, but the chance rarely came up. Gannen was a military man, not a ladies man. He was a fighter, not a lover. Or so he thought. When Lara came into the picture, everything that Gannen thought about himself and others changed.

"**What do I say to her?"** Gannen sighed again, brushing the hair out of his face and glancing over at Evanna. She grinned, and placed a hand on his shoulder as a form of comfort.

"**Gannen, you're a grown man." **Evanna laughed, thinking of how different he and his brother were. Perhaps Evanna would get Vancha to help Gannen - but then again - those two weren't on the best of terms yet. Although they were trying to work out a peace treaty together, Vancha was still angry with his brother for almost killing him. **"You should be capable to telling Lara exactly how you feel. She deserves to know." **

Without a word, Gannen stood up and swiftly walked to his tent, heading inside silently. Rustling through his things, the vampaneze grabbed a slab of paper and a pen that he hadn't used to quite some time. Gannen rarely had reason to write anything down, but he was glad that he actually had writing utensils with him. As quickly as he went to his tent, Gannen headed out and back to Evanna's side. The witch watched with a smile as the vampaneze began to write his letter, silently and passionately, a fire in the red pits of his eyes that Evanna knew were burning for her little friend.

The creak of the rocking chairs made a soft rhythm that was joined with the hum of the forest that surrounded the two figures, who stared out into the starry night silently. Behind the chairs inside the giant home, the distant sound of the piano rang out peacefully, adding to the gentle ambiance that surrounded to the two friends. Both wore pleasant smiles upon their dainty faces, and both watched as the stars above glittered bright. Between them, lay a giant dog; a Siberian husky, who snored happily. Unlike most nights, tonight was quiet and peaceful, which the young red head had yet to get used to. She had become so accustomed to fighting (mentally and physically) with the government almost every night, that when she had a moments peace, it just about freaked her out. But tonight was special, she had a friend, a close friend over for company.

It had been four years since Lara had seen her dear friend Alice. The bleach blond looked practically the same; she still had the short hair, slender figure, and muscles for days. Alice was a very good looking woman – bright blue eyes, porcelain skin, slim and fit - and had not lost it over the years. Alice rocked silently beside Lara, who smiled at the peace she was engulfed in. **"You've got a great home, Lara."** Alice said softly, gazing over to the young woman. Alice had noticed immediately when she first arrived that Lara had developed into a woman. When Alice last saw Lara at the battle of at the arena, the little red head was still just barely a woman. Lara had been just a girl; she still had a faint blush to her cheeks, and her hair was cut like a young girl's with short bangs across her forehead. But now, Lara was a strong woman, with long curling red hair that was mature and shining, and no longer did a blush naturally grace her cheeks. In Alice's eyes, Lara had aged well. **"You said that Tiny gave this to you?"**

"**He did." **Lara replied, rolling her eyes with a grunt. Lara hated having to owe somebody something, and she felt that she owed much to Desmond. Especially now that he had given her the most beautiful estate that she could have ever asked for. **"And thank you, I love it so much. It's nice to be far enough from the city that I don't hear the cars and all of the people, but I'm close enough that I can get there in under thirty minutes. This place is so convenient. And the land...why, it's amazing how untouched it seems!"**

Alice nodded and glanced out to the trees that were not far from the porch where they sat. The forest was dark, but not spooky like most. It had a faint glow from the full moon, and the trees seemed to be alive and bristling with movement. Alice half expected some woodland fairy to pop out of the trees at any given moment.

"**Alice..."** Lara said suddenly, interrupting the blond woman from her thoughts. Alice looked over to Lara, who was gazing in a sort of fixation toward the trees. **"You and Vancha," **Lara said, looking over to Alice with a grin. Alice moaned internally, and grimaced to herself. She did not want to talk about her relationships, let alone give Lara any ideas. Alice was not a fan of telling people how she felt, especially when it came to relationships.

"**Are simply friends."** Alice replied, a stern look plastered to her face.

"**Oh come on! I know there's something there, Alice. Or at least there was when I last saw the two of you."** Lara replied immediately, a playful grin spread across her features. Lara had seen the way Alice cried over Vancha when Gannen severely injured him. Those were no friendship tears.

"**...Why do you care?"** Alice spat back, folding her arms over in defeat.

"**I knew it! I knew it!!!" **Lara exclaimed, jumping up from her chair and hugging (nearly strangling) Alice. The tiny red head giggled like a crazy school girl, proud that she had gotten an answer out of Alice. The blond woman sat grimacing at first, but eventually caved into Lara's antics and laughed along with her. It was certainly true, Alice and Vancha were together. What that actually meant, no one was really sure. Dating would be the human terms to it, and since Alice was still a human, that was what she termed their relationship as. **"I want details!" **Lara demanded, her hands on her hips as she stood before Alice.

Alice grumbled, not wanting to reveal too much to Lara. She sighed, as Lara calmed herself and sat back down in her wooden rocking chair. **"After you left," **Alice began, her voice distant and her eyes tracing the sky. **"Vancha sort of...fell apart. He was distant and quiet, and was in a lot of pain. So I had to be there for him, he needed a friend. And...well...it just went from there."**

Lara sat silent, her face in a soft distraught. She had never meant to hurt Vancha or anyone else by leaving, and no one had told her that Vancha had taken her leaving so badly. She felt a sting of guilt hit her like a bullet, and wanted desperately to see her friend. He was her best friend, and she had left him in his greatest time of need. But she couldn't leave now in the middle of chaos, she would be damning her mission. She now had people depending on her, looking up to her, and following her lead. She couldn't leave even though she yearned more than anything to see Vancha again. Perhaps she would send him a letter, tell him that she missed him and hoped that he was alright. But would he write back? He was a busy vampire lately, trying to make peace and end a war. Then again, so was his brother. Or maybe Vancha was angry with her for leaving. Maybe Vancha didn't want to talk to her at all. No, she had to stop thinking so negatively, this was a time for happiness anyway. Alice and Vancha had finally stopped being so stubborn toward each other, and that was enough for Lara to be happy for.

"**Thanks for being there for him, Alice." **Lara said, placing a hand on her friends shoulder and a smile on her own face. At least Vancha had Alice to keep his spirits up, in more ways than one. Lara held back a laugh at that thought, imagining Alice and Vancha...well you know.

Fast paced footsteps rang out through the house, someone was running. Lara glanced through the window in which she sat before, catching the figure of Tom heading her way. Bursting through the large wooden doors, Tom ran to his lady, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead.

"**What's wrong?"** Lara asked, seeing the worried gleam in Tom's eye and the distraught stretched over his face.

"**There's been an attack."**

The smell of burning flesh reaped through the town; death was at everyone's door. People ran from the fires that burnt through the buildings, chasing them down the streets. Screams erupted from every corner of the town, no one was safe. Bodies had begun to pile up in the streets, both human and animal alike. Birds that had once flown above the town had fallen to their deaths, littering the cobblestone streets with blood. People of all shapes and sizes lay dead, burnt beyond recognizing. Most bodies were so badly burnt that it was hard to tell whether they were male or female. No one knew where the bomb had come from, no one knew why it had hit. All they knew was the damage to the town, and the lives that were lost.

By the time Lara and Alice arrived, the screams had stopped, and the town was silent. The remaining people had left, hiding underground and in the forests surrounding the town. No living person was left in the town. Tom pulled the black car through the streets as far as he could, stopping at the large pile of bodies that lay in the middle of the street. Alice and Lara stepped out of the car, jaws dropped and eyes filled with tears at the bloody mess that surrounded them. Slowly they stepped past the bodies, both women clutching their mouths and noses to keep out the stench. Tom stepped out of the car as well, growing pale at the sight. For a while, no one said a word. They simply walked around, taking in the aftermath of the bomb. Every now and then, one of them would bend over and give a death sign to the dead, hoping that they would pass on with ease.

Eventually the officials came, coming from London and the surrounding cities. Their reactions were just like the rest, silent and mournful, and disgusted by the massacre that they saw. Once the officials had taken everything in, work began. Ambulances, helicopters, men on radios, and men in black suits came to the scene. They picked up the bodies and carried them to trucks, driving off to the hills where they would be buried. The officials – who knew of Lara Crepsley – asked her to leave, not wanting anyone other than officials dealing with the bloodshed. She did as she was told, not wanting any trouble from them. They all worked for the king, so Lara knew that if she gave his men trouble, she would have to deal with him as well.

"**I'll come back later for the survivors,"** Lara told Tom and Alice, who followed her back to the car. She would return once the king's officials had left to help the remaining people and give them everything she could. It was the least she could do for them.

"**Why did this happen?" **Alice said quietly, her eyes scanning the defeated town. **"Who did this?"**

Lara shook her head, she had no idea who would do this. She couldn't think of any country in the world that had enough fire power to bomb Great Britain. She couldn't figure out why whoever had bombed them, bombed such a small and random town. Was this just a warning? Was there more to come? Lara didn't know what was going on, but had a bad feeling that the King had something to do with it all.

Alice left for Vampire Mountain a few hours later, sad that she couldn't stay and help. She would tell the vampires what was going on in Great Britain, and send greetings from Lara. The young red head was sad to see her friend leave, but knew that Alice had a place at Vampire Mountain, and wasn't about to get in the way of it. **"Let Vancha know that I will write to him soon," **Lara told Alice, hugging her one last time. **"Be safe, Alice."**

"**Thanks. I'll let him know, I'm sure he'll be more than happy to hear from you." **Alice replied, hugging her friend tightly. **"I'm sorry I can't help out, but I really need to get back. I've been away from Van...Vampire Mountain for way too long. Are you sure you can help those people on your own?"**

"**Of course!" **Lara said with a laugh, patting Alice on the back. **"Besides, I've got Tom here to help me out. You'll write to me won't you?"**

"**You betcha, kid." **Alice laughed, heading out into the fresh night. Lara watched as her friend headed down the driveway, until her figure was lost in the darkness. Sighing, the little lady glanced to Tom – who stood behind her – and smiled, a signal she was ready to go. She didn't know how much she could do for the survivors of the bombing, but all she could hope was that they would be able to start their lives back up again over the ruin that had befallen them. It was going to be one busy night.


End file.
